I'm trying to figure out how the dailykos blog works. OK, these may
sound like ignorant questions, but i'm a newbie to the site: 1) What
are the 'open thread' posts? I assume these are just postings that
allow other people to post what they want? But can't people comment on
ANY posting? If so, why are there extra postings listed as 'open
thread'? 2) CAN anyone post to the site once they're registered? That
is, if I add a post, will it end up on the main page? 3) Sometimes a
post has a link saying 'There's more...' and sometimes it says
'Discuss'. What's the difference? Is there a difference? OK, this
contains multiple questions, but they should be simple for dailykos
readers, right? Let me know if this is priced too low because of
multiple questions. Thanks!!

Hello bigsticks,

1) "Open Thread" is an invitation for registered users (once they've
been registered for at least 24 hours and have logged in to the site)
to write a brief comment on a miscellaneous topic.  (See "What Can I
Write About?" under "Soj's Old Tyme FAQ and Jamboree," cited below.) 
You can reach the comment section of "Open Thread" by clicking
"There's more ...".  "Discuss" is an invitation for registered users
to write a brief comment on a particular article.  Prior to being
registered for 24 hours and logged in, a user cannot see the links
that allow posting of comments to open threads, articles, and diaries.

2) If you add a comment to an open thread, an article, or a diary, you
will not end up on the main page.  If you post a diary -- which you
can do one week after registering -- you will at least briefly have a
link on the main page under "Recent Diaries," and potentially under
"Recommended Diaries."  Only a limited number of people are authorized
(by Kos himself, I believe) to post articles on the main page.

3) As suggested by my answer to (1), "There's more ..." and "Discuss"
are the same in that they lead you to a comments page.  "There's more
..." also indicates that the main post -- except in the case of an
"Open Thread" -- is too long for the main page.  Clicking "There's
more ..." will lead you to the full article, as well as the comment
section.

See also:

"Create New User Account"
Daily Kos
http://www.dailykos.com/newuser

"Soj's Old Tyme FAQ and Jamboree," by Soj (Jan 9th, 2005) [Note: A
good introduction to Daily Kos and its terminology]
Daily Kos
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2005/1/9/135945/3272 

"DailyKos FAQ"
DKosopedia
http://www.dkosopedia.com/index.php/DailyKos_FAQ

"DKOS community norms"
DKosopedia
http://www.dkosopedia.com/index.php/DKOS_community_norms

"Suggested dKos Community Norms," by pastordan (Oct 4th, 2004)
Daily Kos
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2004/10/4/13314/5803

I was confused too (back during the 2004 campaign) when first trying
to understand how the site works.  I registered, and after some
practice I got the hang of it.  You can try it, and see how it goes.

Please let me know if you need any clarification of my answer.

- justaskscott


Search strategy:

Browsed The Daily Kos, guided by my previous experience with the site.

Thanks!